Phosphates are macronutrients generally thought to be essential building blocks for plants and animals. Plant fertilization with phosphates, alone or in combination with nitrogen and potash fertilization, generally results in better crop yields and more nutritious food.
Prior phosphate fertilizers include diammonium phosphate (DAP), monoammonium phosphate (MAP), triple super phosphate (TSP) and others. These water-soluble compounds, however, tend to leach from the soil, leading some to apply an amount that is several times the actual crop uptake, leading to poor efficiency and the contamination of water bodies.